24 Hours
by ZoroAbarai
Summary: It is the day that Zoro hates the most... The anniversary of Kuina's death. He's trying to hold back his emotions from the crew but they know something is wrong. Can they get to him in time before he breaks completely from the pain that this day brings?


**24 Hours**

 **((Author's Note: This was a fanfiction I made for a small little contest called Fanfiction Amino and i thought it would be a good idea to share it here too. So, I hope you like the story ^^))**

"Oi! Lunch is ready!" Sanji bellowed out the open door of the kitchen, loud enough for his voice to be heard through the light rainfall. When the crew heard his call, they all dropped what they were doing and rushed over to the kitchen, Luffy arriving there first as usual.

The long table filled slowly as the crew took their seats waiting patiently for the food to be placed on the table. However, there was one chair that was empty this time... It was Zoro's. "Where is that shitty swordsman? If he doesn't come soon I'm just gonna start lunch without him!" Sanji said angrily, knowing that he should have shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. He was probably taking a nap somewhere on the deck...

"I actually haven't seen him all day... Do you want me to go look for him, Sanji?" Nami asked gently starting to push her chair out from the table so she could get up. However, before she stood Sanji spun over to her with a goofy smile on his face.

"Oh you don't have to do that! I'll wake that idiot up! Just give me a moment!" He sung to her before spinning out the door. Sanji couldn't let his adorable Nami-swan go through all that trouble just for a lazy-ass swordsman!

Trying to hurry up so he could serve the food before it got cold he jogged around the deck, looking for Zoro's sleeping form in all his favourite napping sports. Every time he found that it was empty he swore under his breath and continued on.

After his 3rd spot, finding nothing, he clenched his fists in anger and annoyance. "I swear... If that moss headed bastard causes the food to get cold before I can serve it, I'll kill him." He muttered to himself stomping over to the back of the ship. To his surprise he found Zoro sitting against the railing back there, looking blankly up at the clouds in the sky.

"Oi Marimo!" Sanji called out to him from a distance and waited a few moments for a response. However, no response came. "MARIMO!" He shouted as loudly as he could this time, cuffing his hands around his mouth to project the sound towards the swordsman. Nothing still... He just sat there with the same blank expression.

The cook's patience was at its limit at this point. He stomped over to Zoro and grabbed his collar, glaring at him angrily. "Quit ignoring me dumb-ass! You're lucky I didn't just leave you here to starve! The damn food's ready!" Sanji growled gripping the swordsman's shirt tightly in his fist. When he finally took a moment to notice the swordsman, he saw that he was drenched from head to toe in water, like he was sitting in that same spot in the rain all night.

The swordsman slowly shifted his gaze up to the cook and looked into his eyes. When their gaze met Sanji's eyes widened seeing the emptiness inside of Zoro's. They looked like two black holes of nothingness, no light inside either of them. Also, there were black bags underneath his eyes as if he hadn't slept all night. "Sorry... But I'm not feeling too hungry..." The swordsman responded in a barely audible tone.

Sanji slowly let go of Zoro's shirt when he said that. The swordsman's voice matched the look in his eyes. The cook remained silent of a few moments, just staring blankly at his nakama until he took a step back. His voice unconsciously softening. "Oh... Ah... Alright. I'll just give your portion to Luffy then." With that, the cook turned his back to the swordsman and started making his way back to the kitchen. Something definitely seemed wrong... Not only did he look and sound so empty, the swordsman never apologized to him... But he didn't want to pry into Zoro's mind. So, he figured that maybe leaving him alone was for the best.

The cook slowly reopened the kitchen door to loud talking and chattering from his crew. They were pretty much all talking about how hungry they were; accept for the two more civilized, and beautiful women in the room. However, when they saw Sanji at the door their chatting faded to silence, waiting for him to say something.

"He said he wasn't hungry." Sanji stated simply, not mentioning the strange encounter he had with him. If he was at the back of the deck trying to avoid the crew, he probably wanted to be alone. So, believing it was better to just wait, the cook started to take the pot and place food on everybody's plate.

"You know... Zoro was acting strangely yesterday too." Usopp mentioned as he picked up his fork and took a bite of the meatballs that Sanji put in front of him. "He was a bit more... distant than usual." The sniper said thoughtfully as he swallowed the delicious food.

"Maybe he was just thinking about something!" Chopper suggested enthusiastically, it wasn't unlike Zoro to be a bit reserved. He could have just been in a bad mood that day or something. The little reindeer just couldn't believe that there was something seriously wrong with a man as strong as Zoro was.

"I don't think so Chopper... He barley ate yesterday too. And now today he isn't eating all together." Nami said quietly, with a worried expression on her face. It wasn't like Zoro to act so strangely like that. The crew couldn't help but worry.

"I noticed that too..." Robin agreed with a small nod swirling the spaghetti on her fork and beginning to eat, waiting until she could swallow to speak again. "It's like he was dreading something." She added, looking down at her food thoughtfully.

"Then... Is he sick?" Luffy asked with his mouth full of food still trying to shove all the contents on the table into his mouth at once while he was talking. Even a conversation like this couldn't stop the captain from eating.

"Maybe..." Nami whispered lowly as she finally started eating her food. The table went silent after that, everyone thinking to themselves about what could be going on. "Should we check on him after we eat...?" She asked after the silence started to linger for a bit too long.

"Just leave that idiot alone. He's probably fine. It's Zoro after all." Sanji jetted in casually, acting aloof and apathetic about the whole situation as he shrugged his shoulders and took another bite of his food. Everyone was acting so worried over nothing. The swordsman just wasn't hungry. Maybe that expression he saw was because Zoro was tired. Ya... That must have been it.

"I know... You're right." Nami responded with a mutter, a twinge of remaining worry for her nakama leaking through. However, it was convincing enough. With that, the crew perked up again and started to talk about lighter subjects. Laughing and being silly like any other meal.

Luffy finished his food first, which obviously wasn't a surprise considering he literally inhaled everything. The rest of them ate like normal people and eventually finished, everyone clearing out of the kitchen and going back to doing what they wanted on the deck of the ship.

...

"Oi! You think Zoro's feeling better now!?" Luffy asked cheerfully, sitting on the railing and clapping his feet together as he watched Nami read her newspaper underneath the umbrella on his lounge chair, shielding herself from the light rain. Everyone was busy and Luffy quickly became bored having nothing to do, so he assumed maybe seeing what Zoro was up to would cheer the swordsman up.

"I'm not sure Luffy." Nami responded without breaking her gaze away from the words on the paper. "Sanji said to keep away from him... But I don't think it's a good idea to just assume he's alright." She said truthfully, now simply starring at the page without reading a word.

"Well I agree! I'm gonna go check up on him!" Luffy stated, jumping down from the railing and running enthusiastically around to deck to try and find him before Nami could even say anything in return. Even if she did, it would just be like talking to a brick wall anyways...

"Zoro!" He called out every time he looked for the swordsman in a new location. Eventually he was able to find him... But it wasn't what he expected to find. Zoro had his knees up against his chest with his eyes locked on the ground bellow him... Unmoving.

Luffy's smile dropped when he saw how ruined his nakama looked. He slowly took a couple of steps towards Zoro until he was standing over him. "Umm... Hey, Zoro." The rubber man said quietly but despite his presence the swordsman didn't even move.

"Oh... What do you want, Luffy?" He asked quietly in a monotone voice causing the captain to retreat a bit. Was up with him? This was nothing like Zoro. Something definitely had to be wrong. So the rubber man made it his new goal to figure out what that was.

"You aren't acting like yourself today at all! Tell me what's wrong! Captain's orders!" Luffy announced loudly and childishly as if it was a small boy playing a pirate game. He crossed his arms and puffed out his cheeks with a stubborn look, saying with his expression and body language that he wasn't going to move until he got an answer.

Zoro gave Luffy a wide smile trying to force a happy tone but it fell way flat. "Nothing's wrong! What would make you think anything's wrong...?" He responded, obviously forcing a chuckle before scratching the back of his head awkwardly in a desperate attempt to act normal.

However, it wouldn't work. Even though he attempted to sound energetic Luffy could hear the sorrow and despair in his nakama's tone. It was unmistakable. So obvious it was like the swordsman was crying for help but refused to acknowledge his own shouts.

"Don't lie, Zoro." Luffy stated in that odd serious tone that he got sometimes. The captain only showed that side of him when something was very serious... That just showed how much he was worried for his nakama at this point.

Hearing the new tone that was used with him, Zoro took a very long pause as his smile dropped a bit. "Another time, Luffy..." He muttered quietly, struggling but still able to keep the smile on his face. "Not today..." His voice dropped even softer at the second thing he said before it was Luffy's turn to take a long pause. The rubber man now understood why the cook said to leave him alone.

He debated what Zoro said for a while... He was worried about his nakama but he also didn't want to pry in matters that weren't his to pry into. Luffy was still taken back at how Zoro's voice sounded but respected his wishes anyways. At least for the time being...

"Alright..." The captain said with a small nod to his nakama. "But you have to promise to tell me tomorrow! No later!" Luffy proclaimed, pointing his finger accusingly at Zoro and waiting for the promise to be made. He knew that Zoro of all people wouldn't break a promise.

A bit of a genuine smile came to his face this time, but it was still full of sadness and sorrow. "Ok..." He whispered in a gentle, barely audible tone. "I promise." Zoro gave his captain a small nod in return to show he understood earning himself some more peace and quiet by himself.

Luffy was satisfied enough with that, turning his back and nodding his head. "Good!" Giving Zoro one more glance with a goofy grin on his face he waved and started to run back to the other crew members shouting back before he ran out of sight. "If you're feeling better come join us later!"

Once Luffy went back to the deck the crew continued on like a regular day... The only thing missing was the clanking of weights echoing through the deck. Without it, the ship seemed somewhat empty.

...

After Luffy was gone, the swordsman was left in silence. His smile wavered and dropped to a frown as Zoro grabbed the left side of his chest, squeezing the material from his shirt in his fist as tightly as he could. His body shook slightly as he lowered his head back down into his knees. Zoro sat there in that same spot as the hours slowly went by, wishing the pain... could just stop... He watched the small drops of water drip down from his nose and hair, falling onto the ground with a small splash. The rain was so cold. But the coldness was numbed by the pain he felt in his chest.

The swordsman's mind haunted him, unable to come back to reality and unable to break out of the constant nightmare that played through his head on this day. He could still hear the echoes of crying. The solemn voices behind him. Quiet whispers and gossips along with the sound of footsteps. It was raining on that day as well...

Zoro was the one who caused all of that pain. That day could have been avoided if it wasn't for him... He knew that. Zoro knew that better than anyone else... And that same thought rung in his head. Pounding harder and harder against his thoughts that it consumed his mind as time went by. "It's all your fault... It's all your fault..."

Eventually, he just couldn't take the torture anymore... Quickly shaking his head before he could be consumed completely, Zoro jetted up to his feet in a desperate attempt to stop the voices in his head. He had to blur his mind somehow. He had to stop those voices from ringing so loudly through his every thought... He needed sake. That's always how he dealt with it. So this time should be no different. Zoro just hoped that he wouldn't run into any of his crew members. He couldn't face anyone at the moment. So, building up his courage he heading for the kitchen.

...

Sanji was doing the dishes quietly by himself, finishing rather quickly since he hadn't used too many plates in the last day or two. When he was done, he dried his hands and headed for the door, planning to step outside and check up on Nami and Robin to see if they needed anything.

When he opened the door to the kitchen he saw Zoro standing right in front of it, reaching for the door to push it open. The two of them froze when they saw each other standing there. Zoro looked completely ruined as the two of the made eye contact. They stayed there for only a few moment before Sanji spoke up first. "What do you want marimo...?" He asked aggressively, seeing that Zoro's gaze was dropped to the ground. There was also such a heavy demeanour around him... The cook felt as if he was being crushed.

"I... just wanted some sake..." Zoro answered with a whisper, lowering his hand back down by his side. He had hoped to avoid any contact with anybody when he stood up, and he was almost there too. He almost pulled off avoiding everybody. But now he ran into the cook of all people.

"So you don't eat breakfast or lunch but you wanna start drinking so early? Ya damn alcoholic." He sneered trying to pick a fight with the man in front of him. He expected a retaliation, an insult of some kind to be spat back his way... However, that didn't happen. Zoro's head remained down as his voice dropped to an even quieter volume.

"Please... Just move..." With that, Sanji heart dropped down to his stomach. Why did he sound so crushed!? What was wrong with him!? Not only did he not try to argue or fight back... But he said 'please'...! Like he was begging him to do as he said... Since when did Zoro ever beg anyone...!?

Sanji didn't know what else to do. He just took a silent step to the side as he watched Zoro slowly make his way into the kitchen. He watched him silently rummage for sake, grab a bottle and start to walk out. However, before he could pass Sanji once again, the cook stopped him.

"Hey Zoro... What's wrong with you...?" He asked bluntly, getting right to the point. Sanji made sure to use a tone of voice that would ensure Zoro didn't get the idea he was worried about him or anything. He just wanted to ask, cause he wanted to ask. That was all...

The swordsman remained quiet for a few moments before turning to Sanji. He had a strange looking smile on his face... One that was full of sorrow and definitely forced. That stupid moss head was definitely hiding something. And the smile just made it more obvious. "I'm fine... Really...! What's with you guys today...?" It was so obvious the swordsman was lying.

At that moment, Sanji had this overwhelming feeling that if he didn't help him... The swordsman would wither away into nothing... The cook usually didn't worry about Zoro. The man was so strong after all, there seemed to always be no need to... but today that strong man wasn't like he usually was. He seemed too fragile, like one touch would shatter the swordsman into a million pieces...

However, he knew how stubborn and full of pride Zoro was. He wouldn't accept his help even if he really needed it. Especially because it was the cook. Also, because the rest of the crew would also see his weakness which he'd never show anybody intentionally. So, Sanji decided that he would confront Zoro after sundown when everybody was asleep. It was his turn to be on watch so it worked out perfectly.

For the time being, he would just have to let the swordsman go and hope he didn't completely break before Sanji could talk to him. Believing in Zoro, the cook watched him quickly continue walking when Sanji didn't say anything, avoiding the other crew members as he made his way to the back of the deck once again to be alone.

Before the cook could even shut the door, Luffy's voice rung in his ears. "Hey, Sanji!" The captain shouted happily from the deck up to the kitchen. "I'm hungry! Meat!" The captain giggled and clapped his hands waiting for the cook's response to his request, Luffy hadn't seen that Zoro was there only a moment ago.

As expected, when Sanji shifted his attention towards Luffy he didn't seem very happy. "You just ate a snack not too long ago! How are you already hungry!?" He shouted back at him angrily, a bit edgy from the nervousness he was feeling because of Zoro. Sanji wasn't about to rush making supper just for his bumbling fool of a captain. That guy's stomach was like a black hole. You can throw stuff into it all day but it will never fill. If he listened to Luffy all the time they would run out of food supplies quickly.

"Aww common! That was like hours ago!" Luffy whined childishly. The crew wouldn't even know he had talked to the swordsman. If anybody was the master at acting normal despite any situation, it was Luffy. Maybe he was just too easy going to let anything bring his mood down. At least, it was very difficult to do that.

"Sanji-kun! I'm hungry too!" Nami jetted in lowering her newspaper from her face to look at Sanji. The whole crew caught on to the fact that she was using that tone she always used when she wanted something from the cook. Making especially obvious when she added '-kun' to his name.

"Actually, some food at the moment would be delightful." Robin added with a small, graceful smile laughing lightly when she saw the blonde haired cook's expression suddenly change like he had so many times before.

"Ah! Anything for you my dears!" He sung upon hearing the girls' requests spinning back into the kitchen as he shouted back out in a loving tone. "It will be ready before you know it!" Sanji quickly got started on supper without a second thought, cooking things that he knew Nami and Robin enjoyed since they were the ones who asked him for food.

Seeing how his cook reacted to Nami's request he puffed out his cheeks and tapped his foot in frustration. "I'm the captain... He should listen to my orders not theirs'" Luffy muttered sourly, again, sounding like he was playing a pirate game with friends. However, he expected nothing less from Sanji. So he got over the disappointment quickly. It helped that he saw Usopp running across the deck as well, seemingly done with his work.

"Hey, Luffy! Seems like the ship's all ready to go now!" Usopp exclaimed, waving his small hammer around happily. "We should try to catch some fish for Sanji to make!" The sniper suggested revealing from behind his back some fishing rods and a net.

"Woh! Great idea Usopp!" Luffy cheered running up to Usopp and grabbing one of the poles. "Chopper! Come fish with us!" He announced in the general direction of the small reindeer, who was working on some of his herbal medicine.

Despite the fact that he was working on something important, he dropped what he was doing when he heard Luffy call out to him and made his way down to the deck with a large smile on his face as he took the net from Usopp. "Ok! Let's catch a super big and tasty one!"

The three of them ran off to the side of the railing and started to fish, the girls shaking their heads and giggling at how enthusiastic their male crew mates were about just doing some fishing. Time moved at a steady pace on the deck of the Going Merry. At least for most people...

...

For Zoro, It felt like time was stagnate. Not even moving at all. He just wanted the day to end... It always brought up so many unwanted memories that he always kept deeply buried at the back of his mind. However, today those memories somehow always clawed out. Every time he tried to forget about them they just became stronger and stronger. Even the sake wasn't helping...

Today... Was the worst day... Every year this day was the exact same too... No matter how hard he tried to go about life normally on a day like this, he just could never do it. It felt like so much weight was on his shoulders... So much weight that he couldn't even breath... His heart being crushed harder every minute.

The weight always became heavier as the day dragged on. Zoro always believed his heart would be destroyed eventually... Then at least the unbearable pain could stop. But... He knew he just had to get through the day and that crushing feeling would be gone for another year... At least for the most part... He just had to get through one day... 24 hours... That was it... So why...? Why was it always so difficult...?

...

"Ok! Dinner's ready!" Sanji shouted to everyone after about an hour more had passed. Waiting always made things seem longer though and the thought of food made everyone even hungrier. To their disappointment, Luffy, Usopp and Chopper had no luck catching any fish before dinner was ready but they were prepared to keep trying until they were ready for bed. If they caught one after, they could at least have it for breakfast or lunch the next day!

Everyone filed in to eat, again leaving one chair empty. Zoro's. He still hadn't even eaten a bite all day. However, after both Sanji and Luffy's attempt to see what was wrong nobody tried to drag him over to the kitchen. If those two had failed then everybody else didn't think they could succeed either.

They ate as they usually did, a supper filled with laugher, foolishness and loud talking until all the food was done. Or so they thought that was all it... Before he served the meal, Sanji set up a plate of food and hid it. He was way too embarrassed to tell anybody who it was for. He was supposed to act like enemies with the man after all. Making them believe he cared would be humiliating.

It was a strange relationship he had with the swordsman. They both were friends. But acted like enemies. They both argued all the time and hid the fact that they cared for each other, though they both knew, the whole crew knew but no one ever spoke of it. It was the relationship of rivals. Brothers that always tried to outdo each other and act tough around the other. That's the best way anyone could describe it.

Knowing all that, Sanji still made Zoro a plate of food. He knew that the swordsman hadn't eaten all day and that he was probably starving by now. So, when the crew was all finished with their plates and were out of the kitchen, the cook took the plate out of hiding. Keeping the food warm until sundown.

...

Not long after, it was completely dark. The clouds covered the entire sky making it impossible for the light of the moon or the stars to escape through to the earth and the rain had started to poor down harder. All of the Straw Hats had gone off the bed, leaving Sanji alone in the kitchen since it was his turn to be on watch.

Once he was sure the deck was clear, the cook brought the plate of food out onto the deck, shielding it from the rain and making his way to the back of the ship where he was sure to still find Zoro in the same position as before.

When Sanji saw that he was right, the cook took a small pause to look at the broken swordsman in front of him. He remembered the encounter Sanji had with him before dinner... How lifeless Zoro looked... as if he was a zombie. The cook had this overwhelming feeling that if he didn't do anything. The swordsman would stay like that forever...

He knew that he might not be the best person to talk to Zoro due to their complicated relationship but someone had to do it. Someone needed to have a courage to be a little rough with the man even if he looked so broken... And Sanji was the only one who could do that. It was that same relationship which made the swordsman so hard to help that also made it easier to be hard on him...

He just knew that they couldn't leave the swordsman like that... Sanji dwelled on that fact for only a second until he casually walked over to Zoro, placing the plate of food on the ground next to him. "Eat up..." Sanji stated simply watching as Zoro's eyes remained on the same spot on the ground. Fixated there as if he was being hypnotized by that one area. Keeping his rough demeanour, he waited for the swordsman to take the plate.

"I'm not hungry..." Zoro muttered in a barely audible tone not even making a move for the food that was in front of him. It smelled delicious as usual... But the swordsman just had no appetite. Zoro's stomach was twisted up in pain along with his chest... He didn't feel hungry in the least even after starving himself all day.

"Look. I don't know what's up with you but as this crew's cook I won't let you starve yourself. Even if that means shoving that damn food down your throat... So eat up before it gets cold and drenched with rain." Sanji explained to the green haired man threateningly, narrowing his eyes and staring at the swordsman to show that he was completely serious about his statement.

"Look... I don't need your pity... I said I'm not hungry... So just leave, cook..." Zoro muttered his voice still quiet and sorrowful. He squeezed his legs tightly and gritted his teeth together in frustration when the cook still didn't leave when he said that. In fact, Sanji showed no signs of leaving.

"It's not pity! I made this plate for you so you're going to eat it!" Sanji announced once again with as much force as he could in his voice. He was telling Zoro that in a way so that it sounded like an order. The cook narrowed his eyes and took a step towards the swordsman, challenging him to deny his proposition again. That's what ended up causing the swordsman to snap at him.

"I don't care what the hell you did! I said I wasn't hungry!" This time, Zoro actually raised his head from the ground. Sure, he still looked terrible but at least some of that sadness in his expression and tone was covered up with the anger he was feeling at the moment.

"Well then I don't care what the hell you say! I'm not wasting food, so you're eating this plate!" Sanji pushed once again, finally pushing the right buttons enough to cause Zoro to jet up to his feet, grab on to the man's collar and snap at the cook with a tone full of fury.

"I don't feel like dealing with your damn shit today ero-cook! So take that damn plate of yours and get the hell out of here!" The swordsman snapped clenching Sanji's shirt in his fist tightly. But this time the tight grip was caused by anger instead of pain.

Suddenly, Sanji got a strange looking smug smile on his face as he dropped his tone so that it was a lot more gentle and glad. "That's more like it. You're suddenly acting a lot more like yourself, huh...?" He simply said calmly, watching as Zoro's angered expression melted at the realization.

Once he finally calmed down he roughly ripped his hand away from Sanji's shirt and turned his back to the cook. "Shut up..." Zoro muttered, his despair written tone now back in his voice and his gaze dropping back to the ground. He really wasn't in the mood to fight today...

"Zoro..." This time the cook sounded a lot more serious. It was a strange sort of seriousness too. It was an understanding sort of tone, one that was gentle and kind... Not the sort that the swordsman would expect coming out of Sanji when talking to him.

Even Sanji thought it was a bit strange to talk to Zoro this way. However, the cook needed to do it. Because the two of them were so much alike, he knew that he could break through to the swordsman. "You don't have to tell anybody what's wrong. We just want to help..." He stated plainly.

This was all so sudden coming from the cook. The swordsman thought that Sanji had just come to give him food... Just to give him a plate and then leave. So why was he staying? Why was he trying to get Zoro back on his feet after everything that the swordsman had said? Even after he pushed everybody on the crew away. "L...like I said before..." Zoro muttered softly, forcing a small smile on his face. "Nothing's wrong..."

"That fake smile of yours is fucking creepy! It won't work with me so cut it out." Sanji stated harshly, hating the fact that Zoro felt the need to hide his emotions so much that he'd fake a smile despite how much pain he was in. The cook was seeing right through him... That smile... Was meant to stop anyone from worrying... But, he guessed it just didn't work on some people.

What he said caused Zoro's smile to slowly fade into a painful frown as the swordsman squeezed his eyes shut tightly. He failed to even stop his crew from worrying about him... There was a long pause between the two of them before Sanji spoke up again, softening his voice back down.

"It's your choice to tell us or not... But whatever you're going through today... Just know that you aren't alone, dumbass. So stop acting like you are..." When those words escaped Sanji's mouth, Zoro's entire body suddenly tensed up as his eyes shot open wide. His body started to shake as Zoro felt tears starting to come to his eyes as he remembered all the times he had to go through this day alone... All the times he was left to suffer by himself...

The pain throughout his chest became unbearable this time as he clenched his shaking fist over his heart once again. Gritting his teeth together with all his might as he struggled to fight the tears back... Why did it have to be Sanji...? Why did he have to be the one to say something like that...? Why did he have to be the one to finally break through to Zoro...?

Unable to hold them back anymore, heavy tears streamed down Zoro's cheeks as he clenched his chest with his other hand as well. Years worth of held in tears streamed out as the swordsman's wails of agony rung in the silent night sky. It was so painful... So heavy...

The swordsman dropped down to his knees and hunched over to hide his face from Sanji as the cook watched his nakama break down with a sorrowful expression. Seeing Zoro in so much pain really broke his heart... Seeing such a strong man fall to his knees like that would put anybody into that situation. Especially when that strong man was your nakama...

Sanji gently went down on to his knees as well placing his hand gently on to the swordsman's shaking shoulders as he continued to wail. His eyes now pressed in the palm on his hand to hide the tears. "Just for today... Don't be afraid to cry... I won't tell anyone... Ok...?" The cook said gently leaning down to try and get close to Zoro. He couldn't leave him alone in this state... Even if he knew that he probably wasn't the one Zoro wanted comforting him at the moment.

After a bit of hesitation, the swordsman finally gave him a small, weak nod, removing his hand from his face and reaching out for the cook. He wrapped his arm around Sanji tightly and buried his face into the man's shirt. His pride and strength fading away into nothing. "It hurts..." Zoro's voice shook vigorously in between saddens wails, taking a ragged breath of air when he spoke.

"I know..." Sanji said quietly, with gentle understanding in his tone of voice. He gently wrapped his arms around Zoro, staying in that position... Sure it was a bit awkward since the two of them never showed any emotions to each other before... Let alone cry in front of the other... But despite their constant fighting the two of them were actually very close... The two of them were probably closer with each other than anybody else on the crew, without even realizing it.

"It... It was my fault! If I... never would have challenged her to that fight... She... She wouldn't have had to sharpen that sword! Kuina wouldn't have died!" The swordsman suddenly bursted out as his tears started to stream even faster down his face, squeezing his eyes shut tightly as he spoke.

Sanji widened his eyes slightly in surprise at his nakama's sudden outburst connecting the dots and realizing what Zoro was trying to tell him... He held onto the swordsman a bit tighter, lowering his gaze to the ground. "It's not your fault... Don't carry so much weight on your own." The cook whispered gently, the swordsman squeezing him tighter in response. Zoro cried for a long while after that... He wailed until he cried himself to sleep in Sanji's arms, his shouts finally starting to die down.

Today was the anniversary of Kuina's death... The one day that Zoro had always dreaded... Every year it brought up horrible memories. The guilt he felt on that day when he heard how she died. Seeing her cold lifeless body on the ground, wishing it could have all just been some kind of sick joke. But it never was... Every year he had to face that same cold reality and battle with his thoughts... Ever year he suffered all alone.

Every year until this year. This time... The man he fought with the most was comforting him. The one that he acted like enemies with all the time. However, today they stopped all that. Today they stopped acting like enemies and the two of them showed their true colours. Just for the small remainder of those 24 hours... They were going to act like the friends... And the brothers that they were.

 **((Author's Note: Well, that's it! It's the first One Shot I've ever made to I hope it was alright! XD It feels weird not writing 16+ chapters haha. Anyways, please review and tell me how you liked it!))**


End file.
